Calorie Deficit?!?!?!? Help Please!!!

Plump2FitPanaQT

I read through the message boards a lot and often see "deficit" being used. I did some research on calorie deficit and I still feel quite confused. If MFP says I should eat 1680 cal/day how much should I burn daily to help the calorie deficit? I am not even sure if I asked that right but I know this plays a VITAL role in my wanting to lose weight. Anyone care to dumb this down for me please? Any help on this would be appreciated...Im just trying to understand this whole thing

msujack

If it says to eat 1680 cals, that is what you eat to lose the weight goal (1,2lbs or whatever you set for a weekly goal). Additional exercise will increase your goal number to eat that day.

msujack

The cal goal is a built in deficit from what you would need to maintain your current weight at whatever activity level you chose. Without additional exercise.

Merkavar

If you entered your details correctly and picked a weightloss goal of say 1 pound.

You should be able to eat the number mfp gave you and lose weight.

The deficit is built in to the number.

Exercise gives you bonus calories for you to eat. So you can either do no exercise and lose weight or exercise, eat a bit more food and lose weight.

Does that help?

jaqcan

Eat the 1680 calories. Your deficit is built in to that number.
I can explain with myself. If I wanted to stay the same weight I am I could eat 2510 calories a day. But my deficit to lose 2lbs a week, is 1000 a day so my goal is 1510 calories a day. I will lose weight eating that many, WITHOUT exercise.

mccindy72

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

I read through the message boards a lot and often see "deficit" being used. I did some research on calorie deficit and I still feel quite confused. If MFP says I should eat 1680 cal/day how much should I burn daily to help the calorie deficit? I am not even sure if I asked that right but I know this plays a VITAL role in my wanting to lose weight. Anyone care to dumb this down for me please? Any help on this would be appreciated...Im just trying to understand this whole thing

You need to be sure also that you are weighing your food so that you are very accurate with your calorie counting. MFP also tends to overestimate calorie burns, so when you eat back exercise calories, only eat back 1/2 to 2/3 of them. Here is a helpful link - read the first post in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here

AmyRhubarb

A deficit means eating fewer calories than what your body burns in a day - and that's ALL day, not just from exercise, but in a 24 hour period, sleeping, walking, eating, working, folding laundry, etc. That number is estimated from the info you entered in MFP when you set up your account, and then MFP takes a cut from that number based on the weight loss goal you entered, and gives you a calorie goal - that goal has you in a deficit.

So assuming you set your account up with correct info and reasonable loss goals, you can eat all 1680 calories every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight, simply because your body burns more than 1680 cals in a day. Got it?

Now if you exercise, you log that activity into MFP and it will add those burned cals back into you goal, and yes you are supposed to eat them, at least a portion of them, to bring your daily NET cals up to goal of 1680. Because of the added exercise, you have burned more cals than usual, so you need a bit more fuel. Eat to net goal, you're still in deficit, still lose weight, and your body is happy and well fueled.

Does that help?

bpetrosky

The number MFP gives you includes your deficit.

To lose 1 lb in a week, you have to eat 3500 calories less than you burn, or 500 calories less per day. If you selected 2 lbs, it would be 1000 calories less per day. That's your daily deficit.

MFP calculates your estimated calories burned without exercise (based on your age/weight/height/gender) and subtracts your daily deficit from that number.

Any purposeful exercise you do on top of that (walking, running, cycling, etc) adds to your calories burned, and you can eat some more. Since exercise calculators overestimate, it helps to only eat back part of the calories added.

Plump2FitPanaQT

Thanks you all for the insight, I think I get it now. What if I don't eat my exercise calories back? Is this a bad thing? I NEVER do b/c of my work schedule..w/me getting off at 11p I have already had my last meal for the day, so I really try not to eat anything after the gym.

@AmyRhubarb you "dumbed" it down to the point of understanding!! Thanks so much!!

Plump2FitPanaQT

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

msujack

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

It happens. I am usually around my goal but not dead on. Just don't under shoot it by a lot constantly.

Merkavar

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

Don't be too concern. 1680 is the goal, aim for it but if your 100 over or under its not going to matter.

Being 500 over or under regularly is a bit more of an issue.

Not eating exercise calories back should increase your weightloss. If your only burning like 100 calories while exercising I wouldn't force your self to eat. But if your burning 300-500 I would probably eat 50-75% back.

It's like a car, the more you drive the more you need to fill it up.

Plump2FitPanaQT

Merkavar wrote: »

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

Don't be too concern. 1680 is the goal, aim for it but if your 100 over or under its not going to matter.

Being 500 over or under regularly is a bit more of an issue.

Not eating exercise calories back should increase your weightloss. If your only burning like 100 calories while exercising I wouldn't force your self to eat. But if your burning 300-500 I would probably eat 50-75% back.

It's like a car, the more you drive the more you need to fill it up.

So let's say I have 200-400/cal left over about 2-4x/week and I exercise 5x a week burning at least 300cal/day (which is only cardio b/c it is not counting my calories burned from strength exercises) is this bad? Could it mess with my weight loss?

Merkavar

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

Merkavar wrote: »

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

Don't be too concern. 1680 is the goal, aim for it but if your 100 over or under its not going to matter.

Being 500 over or under regularly is a bit more of an issue.

Not eating exercise calories back should increase your weightloss. If your only burning like 100 calories while exercising I wouldn't force your self to eat. But if your burning 300-500 I would probably eat 50-75% back.

It's like a car, the more you drive the more you need to fill it up.

So let's say I have 200-400/cal left over about 2-4x/week and I exercise 5x a week burning at least 300cal/day (which is only cardio b/c it is not counting my calories burned from strength exercises) is this bad? Could it mess with my weight loss?

Doesn't sound good.

So your goal is 1680 and your under eating 2-4 times a week by up the 400?

Plus working out 5 times burning 300 and not eating any of those back?

At a guess your going to lose an extra .75 pounds a week over your goal.

I would defiantly aim to get closer to 1680, are you weighing your food?

Under eating by 400 might mean you aren't meeting your nutritional needs, lead to you feeling hungry, burning out etc.

If your burning 300 calories 5 times a week I would be eating some of it back, have a Greek yogurt with strawberries for desert or something.

Plump2FitPanaQT

Merkavar wrote: »

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

Merkavar wrote: »

Plump2FitPanaQT wrote: »

What if I eat less than the 1680 cal/day? Can this be bad too?

Don't be too concern. 1680 is the goal, aim for it but if your 100 over or under its not going to matter.

Being 500 over or under regularly is a bit more of an issue.

Not eating exercise calories back should increase your weightloss. If your only burning like 100 calories while exercising I wouldn't force your self to eat. But if your burning 300-500 I would probably eat 50-75% back.

It's like a car, the more you drive the more you need to fill it up.

So let's say I have 200-400/cal left over about 2-4x/week and I exercise 5x a week burning at least 300cal/day (which is only cardio b/c it is not counting my calories burned from strength exercises) is this bad? Could it mess with my weight loss?

Doesn't sound good.

So your goal is 1680 and your under eating 2-4 times a week by up the 400?

Plus working out 5 times burning 300 and not eating any of those back?

At a guess your going to lose an extra .75 pounds a week over your goal.

I would defiantly aim to get closer to 1680, are you weighing your food?

Under eating by 400 might mean you aren't meeting your nutritional needs, lead to you feeling hungry, burning out etc.

If your burning 300 calories 5 times a week I would be eating some of it back, have a Greek yogurt with strawberries for desert or something.

I am not currently weighing my food. I never feel burnt out or hungry. I'm always feeling like I eat too much food throughout the day. So almost always I feel satisfied. Some days after the gym I drink a Recover protein shake that's about 230 cal but that's only what I burn at the gym. I don't get home from the gym until around 1am, so I really don't like eating at that time.

Sued0nim

If you're not weighing your food then you need to go by your average weigh loss over 6-8 weeks and that will give you an idea or how many calories you're actually eating / using

lekeishab

Merkavar wrote: »

If you entered your details correctly and picked a weightloss goal of say 1 pound.

You should be able to eat the number mfp gave you and lose weight.

The deficit is built in to the number.

Exercise gives you bonus calories for you to eat. So you can either do no exercise and lose weight or exercise, eat a bit more food and lose weight.

Does that help?

Thanks for the information! Definitely helps me!

krithsai

I know you didn't ask, but please consider buying a food scale. It will be the single best thing you do towards weight loss. Eyeballing food simply doesn't work.